Nonskid device for automobiles



Dec. 254, 1923.

- G. F. GRASS NONSKID DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed April 14, 1923 2 sheets-sheet 1 I 4- mmdofs.,

Dec. 2.5, 1923. u .1,478,841

G. `F. GRASS NONSKID DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES med Ap`ri1 14, 192s Y 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Dec; 25, 1923.

UNITED STATES t l arrasar rn'riiri'iN 'erstem GEORGE oEAss, or ITHACA, NEW Yoan, assit-mon OE ONE-Haier ro .iorm n.

Meccanica, or ifrance, NEW YORK. y y p v y NONSKID DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Application nieu April i4, 1923. seriai no. 632,061]

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I GEORGE F. GRASS, a citizen of the United tates of America, residin at Ithaca, in the county of Tompkins and tate of New York, `have invented certain new and useful :improvements in Nonskid Devices for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in non-skid devices for vautomobile tires. v

An important object of this invention is to provide a traction casing adapted for encircling a pneumatic tire or the like to better adapt the same fortravel over snowcovered or muddy road beds.

yA further object of the invention is `to provide a lrigid traction casing of greater diameter than the tire upon which it is applied for the purpose of allowing relative vertical movement vbetween the two,`

thereby enabling the automobile employing the device to derive the benefit of the cushioning support furnished by the pneumatic tire. Y y

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming 3o a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing an automobile wheel andv tire with a form of the non-skid device embodied in this invention, applied thereto,

Figure 2 is a front elevational view, partly brollrzen away, of the assembled device shown in i .1 v

0 Figiire 3 iS a fragmentary plan view of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail view of the securing means employed for retaining the device in position upon a wheel and tire,

Figure 5 is a Side elevational view of a slightly modified form of the invention,

Figure 6 is a front elevational view, partly' broken away, of the assembled device shown in Fig. 5, y

Figure 7 is a fragmentary detail view showing the securing means employed for retaining the modified form shown in Figs. 5 andy in position upon a wheel and tire, Figurey 8 is a fragmentary perspective lpenumatic tire 8, as shown.

\ vided for securing in position the diagonally extending cross chains 16. It is to be under;

are only shown associated with every other view of the tread band employed in the modified form shown in Figs. 5 and 6, c

Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective' view of one of the side plates embodied in the form shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and

Figure 10 is a detail perspective view of 60 the L-shaped clamping bolt employed for properly securing the various parts in their assembled position.

eferring-to the accompanying drawings and particularly to F igs. 1 to 4 inclusive 05 there is shownan automobile wheel 5 having the usual spokes 6 and felly 7, the said wheel being provided with the well kno-wn type of A The traction casing shown in operative position upon the wheel 5 consists of a one-piece tread band or plate 9 that is of greater diameter than the wheel and tire upon which it is to be applied, there being further provided annular side plates 10 `that are formed with regularly spaced lugs 11 for receiving the clamping bolts 12 that are provided for retaining the various parte in their proper assembled positions. aivotally secured 'to the clamping bolts 12 and positioned outwardly of the side plates 10 are straps 13 having pivotally connected to their free ends a cross pin 14 adapted forr carrying a roller member 15,v the clamping bolts 12 being further prostood that any number of thesesets of side straps 13 and roller members 15 maybe employed notwithstanding the fact that they clamping bolt 12 in Fig. '1 of the drawings. The diagonally extending cross chains 16 are preferably provided for the entire periphery of the shell thereby preventing spin- Y ning of the wheels on slippery pavements or side skidding of the automobile employing f this device. The side straps 13vare provided of proper lengths to accommodate the vertical separation of the wheel from the tread band 9 while the device istravelling over the ground, it being understood that there will atall times be one roller 15 in engagement with the felly7 and one spoke 6 for preventing spinning of the vehicle wheel `within the casing.

Referrin particularly to Figs. 5 to 10 inclusive, tere is shown a modified form of traction casing kwhich consists of the annu v lartread band 18 that is provided with in- Y yner peripheral rabbet edges 19 for receiving the outer peripheral edges of thespaced-annular side plates 20. These annular side plates are provided at any desired interval-s with notches v21 formed in their outer periphery for the reception 'of the L-shaped clamping bolts 22 which are provided for retaining the various parts in their proper assembledposition. The annular side plates '2G are further provided with spaced slots Q3 for receiving the straps 24 employed for operatively Vconnecting the wheel 25 with the traction casing. Itis to be understood that this entire'casing is of greater diameter than the tire upon which it is to be posi,- tioned andthat the straps 24 are of suilicient length toallow for the separation Of the tire from the inner periphery Vof the treadl band 18 during its travel over a roadbed, they will, however, properly engage the wheel Jfellyfand spokes forpreventing spinning of the tire within the casing. The: tread band18 is provided at any desired spaced intervals with diagonally positioned callrs 26 for preventing spinning or skid- Iding ofthe casing upon a muddy or snowcovered roadbed.

It is believed that the construction andv this invention .herewith shown and described `are to be taken as preferred examples of lthe saine, and that various changes in the shape, size, andarrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the VAscope'o'fthe subjoined claims. Y

VHaving thusdescribed the invention, I claim z-- l. In a .traction casing for Apneumatic tires, an annular tread band, independent annular side plates having radially outwardlyy projecting lugs, saidsideplates .en-

gaging opposite sideedges or said band, clamping bolts for connecting the side plates v extending between said lugs and traversing the tread band outwardly thereof,l and means for retaining 'said casing lin position upon said tire. Y *Y y 2. In a traction casing for pneumatic tires, an annular tread band', ,independent annular side plates having radiallyy outwardly projecting lugs, said sideplates engaging opposite side edges yof said band, the

lugs on one Vplate, being transversely alined with the lugs on the other plate, clamping bolts extending between alined lugs `positioned outwardly of the tread surface of said band,vfieXible traction increasing-'elementsca-rriedby the opposite ends of adja-V cent clamping bolts, andv means pivotally carried by said clamping bolts torretaining said casing in position upon said tire.

In testimony whereof` I ax myfsignature.

GEORGE F. GRASS. 

